'Speculation' after Dando death

From the moment TV presenter Jill Dando was shot dead there was enormous press coverage and considerable speculation as to the identity of the killer, the jury at the trial of the man accused of her murder heard today.

"Theories and conjecture in the media, whether accurate or not, cannot be used to establish his identity. However it is relevant when considering the defendant's state of mind," said Orlando Pownall, prosecuting.

Two days after her death, the accused Barry George revisited Hafad and the cab office.

He failed to keep an appointment made for him the day before, the prosecution alleged.

On the 28th, "he was no longer concerned about his medical treatment but required confirmation of the fact that he attended the centre and cab office on the 26th.

"In summary the media reported that the press were looking for a tall smartly-dressed man with dark brown or black hair who had been seen in the vicinity of Gowan Avenue an hour before the shooting. No E-fit likeness was published until the 30 April," said Mr Pownall.

Based on that "what did the defendant have to fear? Why did he feel impelled to seek verification of his movements and the clothing he had been wearing on the 26th two days before.

"You will have to consider were his actions merely an irrational response to a misguided belief that he might become a suspect or were they the actions of a man who knew he was responsible and was doing his level best to create an alibi?"

When George allegedly returned to Hafad on April 18 "he was threatening and intimidating in his manner. He insisted on knowing what time he had attended the centre the Monday before".

Told by Elaine Hutton it was about 11am but she could not be sure, George was not satisfied. He insisted she rang Susan Bicknell at home, the prosecution alleged.

"It is hardly surprising that he was reluctant to accept the estimate given as it was about one and three quarter hours out. Ms Bicknell could not be contacted as she was working elsewhere."

George allegedly mentioned that the description published of the murderer of Miss Dando fitted him.

"He said he was going to see his solicitor that afternoon and give him the information. He added that he had not kept his appointment the day before because he had been laying flowers at Jill Dando's house on behalf of his church," said Mr Pownall.

George also revisited the cab office and asked whether Mr Paul recognised him. George allegedly said: "You, gave me a free ride two days ago."

Mr Paul and workers at Hafad contacted the police about the man seen by them. At the time the significance of their accounts could not be appreciated, said Mr Pownall.

Their information formed part of an enormous body of material generated by media coverage, an E-fit likeness that was subsequently published and other leads, the court heard.

"It was not until a year later, when the police had worked methodically through an unprecedented amount of material, that the evidence linking the defendant to the murder became clear.

"The fact that they did not investigate him earlier affords no defence," said Mr Pownall.

"It is however fair to say that the first time he was called to account for his movements that day was a year after the event. Often when people are asked to explain their movements a year before, they have understandable difficulty. From an early stage this defendant was at pains to verify what his movements were."

After he had been spoken to and his premises had been searched George allegedly returned to the Colon Cancer Concern offices and asked for confirmation in writing of his visit on April 26 1999, the prosecution alleged.

There were various other significant events which served to undermine the account he was later to give police, said Mr Pownall.

He allegedly asked one journalist retracing Miss Dando's route: "who would want to do such a thing". He gave the name Barry Bulsara.

"He said he used to see her on Crimewatch, she seemed a lovely lady.

"If true this account was markedly different from what he told the police in interview, when he claimed that he had never heard of Jill Dando before her death," said Mr Pownall.

Sally Mason had known George for 15 years and had seen his address in Crookham Road, which was covered in Queen posters, said Mr Pownall.

A few days after Miss Dando's death he asked her whether she had heard of the woman who had been killed. "He went on to say: 'I was there you know'.

"Ms Mason thought nothing of the remark and believed it was just another of his fantasies."

During the week, George allegedly went to the Hammersmith and Fulham housing department offices and said he thought it was sad that Miss Dando had been killed and asked whether they had considered erecting some form of memorial in tribute to her.

He also visited a number of nearby shops and sought letters of condolence from them, alleged the prosecution.

"If he had not known anything about Jill Dando before her death, why was he paying so much attention to her memory?"

The following month he allegedly told a fellow bus passenger he was going to be late for Miss Dando's memorial service and was fiddling with a piece of paper he claimed he was going to read from at the service.

"He said he did not know Miss Dando well, but that she had interviewed his cousin Freddie Mercury," said Mr Pownall.

Police saw George on April 11 2000 when the defendant made a witness statement, the court was told.

He told officers that he had been diagnosed as suffering from a mild personality disorder and that he had never owned any firearms.

He said that he had joined the Territorial Army in White City, west London, in the 1980s, but did not recall doing any training with live ammunition.

He had only ever trained with a self-loading rifle and had not had access to firearms since.

On April 17 the court was told how police raided George's flat in Crookham Road, Fulham.

The flat was "extremely untidy" and George's bed was covered with his belongings, Mr Pownall said.

Officers found items of clothing including a three-quarter length Cecil Gee coat, a dark blue Cecil Gee jacket, a pair of black BHS trousers and a selection of ties.

"I will return to the coat which was later examined at the forensic science laboratory where they made an important discovery," Mr Pownall said.

Mr Pownall said that during the same search, police found two notes written by George containing similar sentiments.

He read one out in court which said George had become a Born Again Christian in 1992.

It added: "Although I did not know Jill Dando personally, my cousin Freddie Mercury was interviewed by her back in 1986. I was present with him, so for this reason I feel it poignant to bring together the situation of Jill's death and my coming to Christ ..."

Officers found a number of newspaper articles referring to Miss Dando's killing, including four copies of The Ariel.

There was a notebook with references to Kilroy TV and BBC training and BBC copyright.

An envelope contained six notes of condolence written by staff of shops in the Fulham Road.

The search also revealed an SAS knife and a shoulder holster. Also uncovered were magazines and advertisements for guns, a booklet selling army supplies and hand-written details of other army equipment suppliers.

There were two receipts for purchase from Silverman's army supplies dated April 9, 1999.

Other items included a reference to Scotland Yard's firearms unit and a book entitled "Ambush and Counter Ambush".

There was a list of firearms in general use where George had included prices. He had owned at least two of the weapons, said Mr Pownall.

The court was told how George failed to deny that he shot Miss Dando when he was asked by an acquaintance in a hairdresser shop.

Lenita Bailey, a customer at Jazzy G Hair, described what she considered a "remarkable conversation" with the defendant in April 2000, the jury was told.

"At first when the defendant came into the salon he said nothing, which was unusual," Mr Pownall said.

"Ms Bailey asked if anything was wrong and the defendant told her that the police were harassing him.

"They had searched his house and his mother's house. Ms Bailey asked the defendant why the police would want to search his address in connection with the killing of Miss Dando.

"He said that he had told the police he had seen a Range Rover on the evening of the murder.

"He had not told them at the time because he had only recently remembered.

"Ms Bailey doubted the defendant's account and asked him 'Did you see the car?'

"The defendant remained silent and stared at the floor.

"She repeated the question twice more and asked him to look at her. His lips moved as if he was thinking of an answer but none was forthcoming."